Cool Air Rebate Program Formally Launches Statewide, Announces Retail Partnership

Statewide reach allows more low-income Californians to afford vehicle air conditioning repairs needed to stay safe

SACRAMENTO, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The Cool Air Rebate (CAR) Program, which provides financial assistance to low-income Californians to repair leaking vehicle air conditioning systems, announced today the formal statewide launch of the Program. The CAR Program also announced today a partnership with NAPA Auto Care to broaden access statewide.

“Californians have been benefiting from the Cool Air Rebate Program since our pilot launch last summer, and we’re proud to formally declare we are making the Program available statewide to help more motorists save money, stay safe, and improve their everyday driving comfort,” said Nathan Perrine, Executive Director of the Car Care Council, the administrator of the Cool Air Rebate Program. “During the scorching summer months, when temperatures frequently exceed 100 degrees across California, having a functional air conditioning system in a vehicle is not just a convenience—it’s a critical safety measure.”

An often overlooked, yet preventable, source of air pollution is faulty vehicle air conditioning systems that leak R-134a, a common refrigerant used in vehicles manufactured between 1993 and 2019. Just one gram of R-134a is equivalent to releasing 1,400 grams of carbon dioxide. The Cool Air Rebate Program is the first of its kind in the nation committed to addressing this issue by providing financial assistance to Californians who are unable to afford repairing their leaking car air conditioners.

The Cool Air Rebate Program has grown organically throughout California since the Fresno pilot launched last year as interested auto repair shops have joined the Program. Since July 2024, the CAR Program has:

• Repaired 833 vehicle air conditioning systems
• Paid more than $950,000 for leaking vehicle AC repairs
• Certified 145 auto repair shops
• Certified auto repair shops in located in 79 cities

With the formal statewide expansion, the Program’s goal in 2025 is to enroll an additional 100 certified auto repair shops and repair an additional 1,000 vehicle air conditioning systems.

One customer who has benefited from the Cool Air Rebate Program is Sacramento State student Kian Jang, who would drive hours to visit his family on the weekends in his car that had a leaking, non-functioning air conditioner.

“It was miserable to get in my car in the summer. And there is no way I could have afforded these repairs,” Jang explained. “We couldn't believe that we might be eligible and how easy it was to apply. A week later, we were in the shop getting our AC fixed, and off we went in a cool car. I am so grateful for a car AC that now works.”

A significant milestone in meeting these goals is today’s announcement of a partnership with NAPA Auto Care to support and promote the Program to its network of affiliated independent auto repair centers throughout California.

As part of the partnership, NAPA Auto Care-affiliated shops will have exclusive opportunities to participate in the CAR Program, gaining access to rebate funding, marketing support, and technical training to help them integrate energy-efficient A/C services into their offerings.

Acknowledging the momentum and growth of certified auto repair shops signing up to offer the CAR Program, the Car Care Council today honored Bill McAnally Racing’s NAPA AutoCare Center in Antelope, Calif. as the 100th certified auto repair partner to join the CAR Program.

“I’m proud to be honored with this recognition, which underscores our commitment to the customers we serve every day,” said Bill McAnally, owner of BMR Racing NAPA Auto Care Center. “Most of us take for granted a working air conditioner in our vehicles, and this program will help us help more of our valued customers stay cool and safe.”

Visual assets for media

Media can access b-roll video, photos, program logos and other visual assets of the Cool Air Rebate Program here.

About the Cool Air Rebate Program

The Cool Air Rebate Program offers financial assistance to low-income Californians to cover up to 80% of repair costs to remove leaking R-134a refrigerant – a greenhouse gas 1,400 times more harmful than CO₂ – from personal vehicles manufactured between 1993 and 2019. Funding for the Cool Air Rebate Program comes from unclaimed deposits on cans of R-134a sold in California, in coordination with the Car Care Council and the California Air Resources Board. For more information on the Cool Air Rebate Program and how to participate, visit www.coolairrebate.org.